English speakers

[The Dishwasher]

Hi guys!
I thought that I'd open a thread for the forum members who can't speak Russian.
TLK is by no means exclusive!

[Соболь]

What about those who can speak Russian but still want to join this thread in order to practise their English?

[The Dishwasher]

Feel free!

[snala]

YAY! And here I was feeling lonesome! I thought I was the only one speaking english here. ^^;

[The Dishwasher]

The Sonic God is also from the states, and there are a few Russian-speakers who also speak english. Have fun!

[Athari]

Snala, of course, you're not the only one speaking English! I do speak English too, and most of us here do too. English is the most common foreign language in Russia.

[Соболь]

Well, what shall we talk about? Cabbages and lion kings?

By the way, if you correct mistakes I make, I will be very grateful. Tha bad thing my English is Needs improving

[The Dishwasher]

Cabbages?!

Who else speaks english? Or else, how do you know how to speak english? Did you learn it at school / university?

I live in the UK, so that's how I learned.

Purrsonally, I think that it's great that TLK has such a wide fanbase.

[Соболь]

> Cabbages?!

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes - and ships - and sealing-wax
Of cabbages - and kings..."

- Lewis Carroll, "Through the Looking Glass"

> Did you learn it at school / university?

I learned English at school, as most of the Russian students do (German is the second popular language), and continued learning it at university. I still have some problems with it though. For example, the use of the articles is something that I think I'll never understand completely.

> I live in the UK, so that's how I learned.

Your Russian seems too good to be your foreign language

[The Dishwasher]

Of shoes - and ships - and sealing-wax
Of cabbages - and kings..."

D'oh! Should've seen the Alice reference!

Your Russian seems too good to be your foreign language

That is because it isn't foreign...strictly speaking...I moved to the UK when I was 9, but before that I lived in Moscow. So I'm bilingual, though you'd be amazed at how much Russian gets forgotten after 9 years...so I think that I have to get back into using it better, it needs dusting!

It's actually really handy that I can practise on this forum. Ask Athari, I think I'm improving with my comma use!

[Athari]

Gang, did you notice that the only ones discussing something in this topic can use Russian without any problems? Snala, where are you? The topic's purpose will be lost if you you're missing...

Who else speaks english? Or else, how do you know how to speak english? Did you learn it at school / university?

I've been learning it at school and am continuing at university. This year I plan to go to some additional studies.

For example, the use of the articles is something that I think I'll never understand completely.

I'm not the only one with this problem... How wonderful!

Ask Athari, I think I'm improving with my comma use!

After this I feel myself a teacher. Well, since I don't take notice of your mistakes then you must have improved!

The Dishwasher, if your short nickname is "Dishka" in Russian then it should be "Dishy" or something like that in English? Forgot to answer you, which language do you use when you think? Not the time you speak, but think, meditate, muse...

[The Dishwasher]

2 Athari:
Yay! Either I have improved, or you are becoming accustomed to the mistakes that I make.
Actually, you're not far off, my friends do call me Dish. Not Dishy as such. Mostly my normal name gets used though, or Dishwasher. Less now than a few years ago, but still, the nickname stays.

Languages that I use when I think...it depends on what I'm thinking about/what I've been doing before/what I'm doing as I'm thinking...naturally, if I'm writing fanfic, then I think in English. Though, sometimes, I get a picture in my mind, and then suddenly I get a lovely Russian description to go with it, and then I have to translate it into English to write it down...Also depends on who I'm with... I think that I mostly switch between the two languages, though, if I'm just thinking without any particular aim to it.

For example, the use of the articles is something that I think I'll never understand completely.
I'm not the only one with this problem... How wonderful!

Funny that you should mention it, but lots of people tend to have this problem. I don't think that either of my parents got over it. To me, it's second nature. I can 'feel' when there should be a 'the' or an 'a'. Gen. speaking, if the word that you're talking about hasn't been introduced before, you use 'a'. It is the indefinite article. If, on the other hand, the word is definite, you use 'the'. But I guess you all know that already...*sigh* Multitudes of exceptions/expressions/literary license/slang to mix it all up for you.

[Athari]

But I guess you all know that already...*sigh* Multitudes of exceptions/expressions/literary license/slang to mix it all up for you.

Well... even without exceptions these rules are very bizarre. For example: straits are used with definite article while gulfs without. This rule sounds much more funny in Russian because these words have the same root.